Page 32 of Such Sharp Teeth

“We always want to save the monsters, don’t we? And it never works out,” Mia says. “Come, sunshine. Let’s go take shots.”

“I’d love to, but I need to find Scarlett.”

“No fun,” Mia says, pouting a lacquered lip. “We should get together. Just us. Go out for a night of debauchery, like old times.”

“Done and done,” I say. “How long are you in town for?”

“Oh, you know. However long I feel like.”

She kisses me on the other cheek, then slinks off into the crowd. I head upstairs in search of my sister.

“Scarlett? You up here?”

I check the bathroom, which is occupied by a French maid, who apparently doesn’t lock doors. I apologize and move on to Luca’s room.

Scarlett lies on his tiny bed, on top of rocket ship sheets, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling.

“I just slayed Dracula,” I say, swatting at the solar system mobile grazing my ear.

“What?”

“This drunk vampire was getting in my personal space, uninvited, so I went to push him back. A flat palm, you know, one of these”—I demonstrate—“and he went straight back. Hit the front door. Fell to the ground.”

“Oh, well,” she says. She’s somewhere else. Deep in her thoughts.

“I saw Mia. Did you pick her costume, too?”

“Huh?”

“You were right,” I say. “We should go. Pretty sure this playlist is just five Halloween-adjacent songs on repeat.”

“I wasn’t able to find Ash.”

“I talked to her,” I say. “Told her we’d come over tomorrow for leftovers. She won’t care if we leave. She’s got her hands full hosting. Wait. Where’s Luca?”

She points to the closet.

I experience a moment’s confusion.

Scarlett finds it hilarious.

“Very good,” I say. “Very funny.”

“He’s with Ash’s parents. Help me up.”

She reaches out to me. I take her by the forearms and pull. It is strange to feel the extra weight of her. I wonder what it’s like to carry it around, that weight.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs, vampire Mike is gone, but Ian isn’t. He’s there talking to Mystery Inc.

“Say your goodbyes. I’ll be in the car,” Scarlett says, already halfway out the door.

“Wait,” I tell her. “I don’t want you walking alone. I’ll only be a sec.”

I catch Ian’s attention and he excuses himself from the conversation.

“I’m leaving,” I tell him.

“Did something happen before? With Mike?”